[moscooter]

OK, for the last few years, most all of us have seen these ads as to checking (Car Fax) for any info on what you might be considering for a purchase.

How does this outfit work..............They have absolutely NO CLUE as to what and/or when I may have had oil changes done and/or other maintenance on a ride I may now be wanting to sell.

But somehow, they give the impression that they are the (know all/ end all) for any info regarding just most any car/truck out there..........

I can imagine that they may have made some agreements to get maintenance records with many independent garages as well as Dealerships and therefore (think) they have it all covered.

I'm not buying into that...............

Help me understand just why and/or if I should give a s*** about what this outfit has to say.

 

[BlueStreak]

You are not the "run of the mill" car buyer and you are not buying/selling the "run of the mill" vehicle so you are correct in your statements. You should not trust anything they have to say unless you change your habits drastically!

 

[Stlhotrod]

They are a data review company basically. They collect data on the vehicles vin and make a report of it. Any time the data is put in a system from an oil change place, to state inspection, to dealer records, they access it and it becomes part of the report they will give you for a fee of course. They also collect data from police reports and anything from the auto auctions and insurance companies. All they do is gather it.

One really big problem is if someone puts in wrong data and it gets into their system. I have heard it is next to impossible to get it corrected. Maybe a dealer can get it fixed but I have heard second hand stories of individuals trying to get things cleared up and going through a lot of hoops then checking it again and it is back on the report.

 

[Stlhotrod]

A lot of the information you can also get from a dealer if they run a report for you. Like service records. When I bought my last 05 the dealer gave me all the records they could pull for it

 

[Auggie Doggie]

The Car Fax is just one of many tools to use when buying a second hand used vehicle. Sometimes it will have a dozen red flags so there is no reason to look further. It is not the only thing a person should use. Sight inspection, have a mechanic check it over etc. Use all the tools when shopping. Also use value guide for pricing among other things. Happy hunting.

 

[rust]

A used vehicle is a used vehicle. A 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 vehicle is an old vehicle. It could have many hidden issues beside whats in the CARFAX. I get the mechanic raise the vehicle on the lift to see if the catalytic converter has been recently welded on. This may indicate that it was originally outside of California. Sellers have ways?? to clear the report when brought in from out of state.

 

[DOOPHUS]

I agree with most of the information posted above . . .

CarFax gathers and reports with limited verification. Unfortunately, the negative reports usually carry more weight primarily due to the fact negative information is more readily available and sought after.

As with most, if not all, reporting programs . . . "Poop In equals Poop Out"

! ! ! ! ! !

 

[wizzr]

It's a tool to be used with discretion. Not the end all, be all. As an example, a gent here was looking at an SSR. Carfax showed 5 previous owners. That's good to know and may call for more research.

 

[ByronF]

Aside from a record of the number of owners, when and where it was registered etc., the PRIMARY and MAJOR benefit of a Carfax report is to determine the title status of the vehicle. If a vehicle has been salvaged (ie flood) or written off (accident,fire) or taken back under lemon law provisions (where states allow) then that WILL be reflected in the VIN record of that vehicle. In both the US and Canada there are severe restrictions on whether a vehicle can be exported and/or imported and registered with anything less than a NORMAL title status.
Carfax does not and cannot guarantee the service history of a vehicle because many owners do not take a vehicle back to authorized dealer for service where work is tracked and maintained. So one should not expect a Carfax to accurately reflect a vehicles service history or current mechanical condition. What it can be be relied on for is an accident history and the extent of the damage as paid out under an insurance claim. In many states even when a settlement is made on a cash basis without involving insurance, the body shop doing the repair must report the work done and register that against the VIN so it becomes part of the vehicle title record.
Carfax can also identify whether there are any outstanding recall notices on a vehicle as this is available from the vehicle manufacturers database. Why is this important? Because again if you are trying to export/import a vehicle into the US or Canada then these recalls MUST be cleared and reported before the imports will be allowed.
In both the US and Canada the title status and recall history as reported by Carfax is recognized by both governing bodies when determining whether to grant export/import.

 

[Warrior=='06]

Hmmm....

 

[Blur'd Vision]

Too many people look at Carfax the same way they look at KBB or NADA. They are all just GUIDES, not bibles!

 

[moscooter]

Too many people look at Carfax the same way they look at KBB or NADA. They are all just GUIDES, not bibles!

I agree but would add when it comes to (KBB versus NADA),..............in my experience, if you happen to be a (buyer), you want to have the KBB booklet in your back pocket to back up your claim on a fair price. On the other hand, if you are a (Seller), you want the evidence of the NADA figures in (your back pocket) to substantiate your asking price.

Been there and done that ................those two outfits can vary in some cases quite a bit. I lean toward the values quoted in NADA long before I would accept the numbers coming from KBB.

 

[stung669]

I'm currently looking to purchase my first SSR. I found one (05, 64k, 6speed) I'm considering and trying to determine the retail value. Using NADA clean retail $18,050; Edmunds outstanding condition $18,109; Kelly Blue Book no information? These prices are thousands less than asking price from the private party. I have asked State Farm what they will insure it for and am still waiting for an answer. Is there another source for retail value out there?

 

[DOOPHUS]

Is there another source for retail value out there?

Good question, Stung . . . Have you considered Hagerty Insurance?

Good Luck

! ! ! ! ! !

 

[Auggie Doggie]

I'm currently looking to purchase my first SSR. I found one (05, 64k, 6speed) I'm considering and trying to determine the retail value. Using NADA clean retail $18,050; Edmunds outstanding condition $18,109; Kelly Blue Book no information? These prices are thousands less than asking price from the private party. I have asked State Farm what they will insure it for and am still waiting for an answer. Is there another source for retail value out there?

I have an 05 auto and got an agreed upon value of $30,000 with Hagerty insurance. Most 05's and 06's start with an asking price of about $27,500 and go up or down from there. There are some 06's that get more if they are a special color, two tone, final production, or 6 speed, etc. $27,500 is a good place to set your hat at. Some have sold at auction recently for $30,000 to $45,000. Just depends. Do you want a Slingshot Yellow with 48,600 miles on it? Pretty tricked out. Let me know. Happy hunting.

Just my opinion but I don't think you will get a good one in the $18,000 range. Maybe a fixer-upper. Need to anti up about $10,000 more to get a well taken care of, good running, Top working, etc. My 2 cents and we all know what that is worth.

 

[stung669]

I have an 05 auto and got an agreed upon value of $30,000 with Hagerty insurance. Most 05's and 06's start with an asking price of about $27,500 and go up or down from there. There are some 06's that get more if they are a special color, two tone, final production, or 6 speed, etc. $27,500 is a good place to set your hat at. Some have sold at auction recently for $30,000 to $45,000. Just depends. Do you want a Slingshot Yellow with 48,600 miles on it? Pretty tricked out. Let me know. Happy hunting.

Just my opinion but I don't think you will get a good one in the $18,000 range. Maybe a fixer-upper. Need to anti up about $10,000 more to get a well taken care of, good running, Top working, etc. My 2 cents and we all know what that is worth.

Thanks for the info. I'll give Hagerty a shout.

 

[Stlhotrod]

I'm currently looking to purchase my first SSR. I found one (05, 64k, 6speed) I'm considering and trying to determine the retail value. Using NADA clean retail $18,050; Edmunds outstanding condition $18,109; Kelly Blue Book no information? These prices are thousands less than asking price from the private party. I have asked State Farm what they will insure it for and am still waiting for an answer. Is there another source for retail value out there?

A couple things come into play here. First what all options are on the truck? Chrome wheels, carpeted bed liner, accessory gauges? What all is included with the truck? Owners manual, is there a hitch with it, car cover, saddle bags, roof tool? If any or all of these things are there it adds value to you the buyer but would not add value to a dealer.

Prices are going to be all over the place. Buying one from an owner who knows the truck and has all the extras will also be worth a little more than a truck with out stuff and no history on it. Also what has been done or updated can make a lot of difference in value as well. If someone has added the chrome package this adds value and saves a lot of trouble trying to find those hard to find parts.
Good Luck in your search

 

[Texasbaehr]

When I bought my '04 the dealer had a copy of the CarFax that showed No accidents. I looked the truck over real good, even underneath since it was on a display ramp on the lot. When I went to insure it the agent told me it had been in a accident with $12,000 damage on the right side. Insurance companies use their own reporting which showed a major accident and loss. The repairs were done so well I could not see where it was ever repaired until later when I replaced the rear rock guards and found the right side was repainted over Pac Blue. I have never had any issues with the truck that could be attributed to an accident.
Car Fax is not a dependable source.